Tennis: Wozniacki crashed out of Qatar Open

DOHA: Caroline Wozniacki, playing her first match since losing her world number one ranking, crashed out of the Qatar Open on Wednesday, squandering three match points in a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) defeat to Lucie Safarova.

There was also misery for defending champion Vera Zvonareva who quit with a hip injury midway through her second round match against Romania's Monica Niculescu.

Czech left-hander Safarova saved three match points in the third set and played a superb tiebreaker to set up a third round clash with Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, who defeated compatriot Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 6-4.

Wozniacki, seeded two but now ranked at four in the world, was deposed from the world top spot when she was knocked out of the Australian Open quarter-finals.

There were no such problems, however, for newly-crowned world number one and Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka who cruised into the third round, beating Germany's Mona Barthel 6-1, 6-0.

The Belarussian top seed will now take on Romania's Simona Halep.

Even the presence of golfer boyfriend Rory McIlroy couldn't inspire Wozniacki as she made several unforced errors on big points to allow Safarova back into the match in the second set.

The Dane also failed to take advantage of three match points in the 10th game of the third.

Buoyed by the let-off, Safarova really turned it on in the tiebreaker, pulling away after the scores were tied 3-3, a lucky net cord giving her a 4-3 lead.

A cracking double-handed backhand passing shot saw the Czech go up 5-3. (AFP)